Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has defended the government's decision to impose a ban on trade with West Bank settlements, despite facing significant backlash and accusations of political opportunism. The move, which aims to revive efforts for a two-state solution, has drawn sharp criticism from Israel, including the closure of the UK consulate in Jerusalem and a ban on entry for several British MPs and a campaigner.
Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced the retaliatory measures, stating that the banned individuals were involved in what he termed "antisemitic and anti-Israel activity." Among those on the list are former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and veteran MP Diane Abbott. Saar also reportedly thanked Conservative MP Kemi Badenoch for her opposition to the government's announcement.
Miliband, however, insisted on the righteousness of the sanctions, stating he was "proud" of the decision. He acknowledged that the action would be "damaging" but asserted that the potential costs and benefits had been weighed in advance. He explained that the government had consulted with Palestinian representatives, who had clearly expressed the need for such action from their perspective.
"I would prefer that Israel hadn't announced what it did, but overall, I strongly believe that what we did, along with other international allies, was absolutely the right thing to do," Miliband told Sky News. He expressed confidence that security cooperation with Israel would continue, despite concerns about intelligence sharing.
The sanctions regime, which targets companies and individuals involved in settlements, is intended to counter the expansion of settlements in the West Bank, which Miliband argued render a two-state solution "unviable." He noted that more settlements had been approved under the current Israeli government than in the preceding two decades and described settler violence as "rampant."
The decision has coincided with Labour's preparations for a by-election in Holborn & St Pancras, Keir Starmer's former seat, where the Green Party is campaigning on a platform centered on Palestine. Critics, including Britain's Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, have labeled the sanctions as "gesture politics" that could "further embolden those, at home and abroad, who use hatred as a weapon against Jews." Kemi Badenoch echoed these sentiments, suggesting the government risked "fanning the flames of anti-Semitism at home" to win votes from those shifting from Labour to the Greens.
In response to the accusations of playing politics with Jewish lives, Miliband stated, "I'm a proud British Jew and I don't agree with the chief rabbi." He emphasized the importance of upholding British values of the rule of law and dignity while combating antisemitism, asserting that holding British Jews responsible for the actions of the Israeli government constitutes antisemitism.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham also defended the sanctions, clarifying they were not directed at the Israeli people but aimed at fostering peace. He reiterated that British Jews are not responsible for the actions of the Israeli government and that blaming them is unequivocally antisemitic. Burnham pledged the government's commitment to ensuring the safety of the Jewish community and eradicating antisemitism.